If you write blogs, emails, or essays, you’ve probably used Grammarly.
It promises cleaner grammar, fewer typos, stronger wording, and clearer writing.
The real question isn’t “does it work?”
It’s whether it’s worth using for your workflow and budget.
Here’s what Grammarly does, what it costs, where it helps, and where it falls short.
Quick Answers
Grammarly uses AI and natural language processing to check spelling, grammar, clarity, tone, and (on paid plans) plagiarism.
Pros include ease of use, strong day-to-day corrections, and useful writing feedback.
Cons include paid pricing, occasional wrong suggestions, and the fact that your text is processed on their servers, which some people won’t like.
Extra features include readability scoring, context-aware suggestions, and a browser extension that works across email and social platforms.
What is Grammarly?
Grammarly is a writing assistant.
You write.
It flags issues.
It suggests improvements.
It checks for things like:
Spelling and grammar mistakes
Punctuation errors
Clarity issues
Word choice and repetition
Tone hints
Sentence structure improvements
Genre or goal-based writing checks (in paid tiers)
Plagiarism detection (in paid tiers)
It’s available as:
A web editor
Browser extensions
Desktop apps
Integrations with tools like Google Docs and Microsoft Word (depending on setup)
Features and Pricing
Grammarly has a free plan and paid tiers.
Free version typically covers:
Basic grammar
Basic spelling
Basic punctuation and clarity fixes
Paid versions typically add:
Style and rewriting suggestions
Tone and intent improvements
Vocabulary and phrasing upgrades
Plagiarism checks
More advanced clarity and sentence structure help
Pricing varies by billing cycle.
You’ll often see monthly pricing higher and annual pricing cheaper per month, plus a Business plan for teams with admin controls and billing tools.
Pros and Cons
Advantages
Easy to use
You don’t need to be technical, and feedback is clear.
Broad coverage
It catches common writing problems quickly, especially in everyday writing.
Customisable
You can adjust tone and goals, and ignore what doesn’t fit your style.
Helpful explanations
Many suggestions include brief explanations, which help you learn patterns over time.
Disadvantages
Paid plans can feel expensive
Especially if you only need occasional help.
Not always right
It can misread context, especially with humour, sarcasm, brand voice, or niche terminology.
Risk of over-reliance
If you accept everything blindly, your writing can become bland and overly “standard.”
Privacy considerations
Your text is processed through Grammarly’s systems, so sensitive information should be handled carefully depending on your risk tolerance and policies.
Readability Reports
Grammarly includes readability signals that help you judge how easy your writing is to read.
You’ll typically see factors like:
Sentence length
Reading level
Estimated reading time
The value is simple.
If your audience is broad, readability matters more than “perfect” grammar.
The best use case is editing blog posts so they read cleanly on mobile, where attention spans are short and dense writing loses people fast.
Context-Specific Suggestions
On higher tiers, Grammarly gives suggestions based on context.
That means it may adjust recommendations depending on:
Tone (formal vs casual)
Intent (inform vs persuade)
Audience expectations
Example:
A business email might get more formal suggestions.
A blog post might get clarity and flow suggestions.
A sales page might benefit from punchier phrasing.
This can be useful.
But you still need judgment.
Context tools don’t understand your strategy the way you do.
Checking Emails and Social Posts
The browser extension is one of Grammarly’s most practical features.
It can check writing inside:
Email drafts
Social posts
Forms
Web-based editors
That reduces the “copy, paste, check, paste back” workflow.
It also prevents simple mistakes in public posts, where errors look worse than they should.
How Do Alternatives Compare?
Grammarly is strong for general-purpose writing.
But other tools are better in specific areas.
ProWritingAid
Deeper analysis, better for long-form writing and craft improvement.
Hemingway Editor
Clarity and readability focus, great for making writing tighter.
LanguageTool
Strong multilingual support, useful for international teams.
Microsoft Editor
Convenient if you live inside Word and Outlook.
There isn’t a universal winner.
It depends on what you write and where you write it.
Is Grammarly Easy to Use?
Yes.
That’s a big reason it became the default.
Install it.
Write normally.
Review suggestions.
The only learning curve is figuring out which suggestions match your voice and which you should ignore.
Desktop vs Mobile App
Desktop experience is usually better for heavy editing because the screen space supports deeper review.
Mobile is convenient for quick fixes on the go, but it’s naturally more limited for long-form workflow.
If you do serious writing, desktop wins.
If you do quick messages and social, mobile helps.
Is Grammarly Safe and Reliable?
It’s reliable for catching common errors.
It’s not a guarantee of correctness.
Treat it like a second set of eyes, not an editor-in-chief.
If a suggestion changes meaning, ignore it.
On privacy: if you’re writing anything sensitive, treat any cloud-based checker cautiously and follow your own policies.
Is Grammarly Premium Worth It?
Premium is worth it if you:
Write frequently
Publish professionally
Care about tone, clarity, and polish
Want plagiarism checking
Need editing speed
It’s not worth it if you:
Only write occasionally
Mostly need basic spellcheck
Already have a strong editing process
Final Takeaway
Grammarly is a strong general writing tool.
It’s fast.
It’s convenient.
It catches lots of avoidable mistakes.
But it’s not magic.
And it’s not always right.
Use it to tighten the basics.
Use your judgment for voice, meaning, and strategy.
If you tell me what you write most (blog posts, emails, essays, ads), I’ll recommend the best plan level or a better alternative for that exact use case.